Do they make one? If so where? Lookin at a couple vendors right now and i can't seem to find one. So just wondering.

 

Gear drives, unless you get a quiet set, are very noisy. I bought a set for my BBC from someone who had them on a street vehicle for 2 days and said "take them out". Noisy gear drives also cause the knock sensor to give false readings.

 

i know gear drives are noisy... not a newb. I have one on my DZ302 Nova. Its loud as hell and i love it. So does anyone know if there is one available for a LS1?

 

don't do it... If anything put a supercharger under the hood if you want that sound

 

If you want one 'cause of the sound, more power to you but I think that's really "rice". AFAIK no one makes a gear drive for the LS1.

Rich

 

rice? gears drives have been proven to last longer then any other timing chain. I love the sound.

AdioSS- I didn't ask if i should get one, i asked if they make one. i could maybe afford a charger if u donate me half the money. sound good?

Thanks rsk for the info.

 

I thought that gear drives have been notorious for causing abnormal/excessive vibrations throughout the camshaft/valvetrain, and they have been responsible for camshafts & lifters failing?? I've heard this through "guys in general", my Dad (who's a mechanic), and also an engine builder who we deal with?

YES, gears may be more "precise" than a chain, since there is no slack, although I'm sure there's a certain amount of backlash between the gears, and like I said, I've heard that they can actually be hard on the valvetrain when used in daily-driven applications (since race-specific engines are rebuilt so often anyways).

As far as gear drives for the LS1, sorry, I haven't seen them available yet either.

 

I don't doubt that that theory holds some water. But I can't help thinking that the LS1's large cam core along with a good torsional damper wouldn't help that situation considerably.

Not to mention, you'll hardly ever see a dirt track car without a gear drive of some sort. Warren Johnson also speaks highly of the gear drive so they can't be all that bad.

Yes, there's always going to be a bit of clearance there... would not be good if there wasn't. Now a helical 2-gear setup, that would be nice.

-Mindgame

 

Don't forget that the camshaft is gun drilled I've been told that doing that helps kill valvetrain harmonics by a BUNCH!


A better question would be, does anybody make a BELT drive for the LS1 yet?

 

What's the advantage to a belt? Less mass to spin, and they keep the cam timing 100% true? I guess they're probably not bad, except they need to be replaced more often than chains.

 

Harmonics - a belt doesn't transfer the shock from the crank to the cam like a gear drive or chain does. Gear drives are the worst for harmonics.

 

So that does agree with what I was saying above then, about more "harmonics" (vibrations?) through the valvetrain.

 

Where did anyone disagree with that?

The other plusses to a belt setup (and a bigger factor for me as a racer) is the ability to change cam timing quick and easy. Possible with other setups but not near as easily.

-Mindgame